Pipe wrench



- Jul 2, 1946:

F 'w. LIVERMONT PIPE WRENCH I Filed Jan. 17, 1944 Patented July 2, 1946 PIPE WRENCH Frank W. Livermont, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Richmont, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application January 17, 1944, Serial No. 518,510

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to a pipe wrench which can be used to turn pipes in either direction without removal from the pipe. My pipe wrench is adjustable to grip and rotate the pipe in either direction, or it can be turned in either direction around the pipe without moving the pipe. Other pipe wrenches of this kind have been constructed, but most of them require the use of an operators hand to urge the jaws of the wrench in a particular direction so that it would grip the pipe. In a great many places it is not possible to insert a hand. Often the user of the wrench needs one hand to move the handle of the wrench, and the other to hold the pipe in alignment.

One of the objects of my invention is that my wrench will grip the pipe in any direction in which it is desired to turn the pipe and the wrench will also freely rotate around the pipe in any desired direction without rotating the pipe.

Another advantage of my invention is that the operator need not place his hands upon the jaws of the wrench to cause it to grip a pipe.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawing: v

Fig. 1 is a plan view;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partially in section;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partially in section, illustrating the operation.

Referring to the drawing, my wrench comprises a handle I having riveted to one end thereof a pair of spaced frame plates 2. These frame plates 2 project beyond the handle I and support between them a pipe-encircling member 3 and a toothed jaw 4. The jaw 4 has two sets of teeth 9 and [0 on each side extending toward the opposite sides of the member 3. The jaw has a pin II extending from opposite sides thereof into a pivotal aperture [2 in the plates 2.

The pipe-encircling member 3 has two pins 5 and 6 which project into elongated slots 1 and 8 in the spaced plates 2. The wrench when in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, will not grip or grasp a pipe positioned within the member 3,

but if the member 3 is forcibly rocked to one side it will grasp the pipe when turned in one direction and ratchet about the pipe when turned in the other direction.

To accomplish this rocking of the member 3 with relation to the plates 2, I provide a spring I3 which is inserted in a socket I4 in the member 3, the other end of said spring is fastened in a rotating pin l5 journaled in the end of the handle I. At one end of the pin I5 I provide a lever I6 which can be rotated by pressure of the operators thumb. By rotating the pin I5 the spring l3 will cause the jaw 3 to rock on its pivot between the plates 2 into the position shown in Fig. 4. In this position a pipe inserted within the jaws of the member 3 will be grasped by the teeth on the jaw 4 and the sides of the member 3 can be rotated in one direction, while rotation of the wrench in the opposite direction will permit ratcheting. To rotate a pipe in the opposite direction the lever l6 and pin I5 is rotated in the opposite direction. It will thus be seen that my wrench can be used very quickly and easily adjusted to grip and rotate a pipe in either direction and to ratchet in either direction. The pin Hi can be fitted sufiiciently tight in its bearings to remain in whichever position it is moved to. Thus the operator need not grasp any portion of the wrench while using the same, except the handle.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I am not limited by any of the details set forth herein, except as defined 1n the appended claim.

I claim:

In a pipe wrench, a handle, a pipe encircling member rockably connected to said handle, a gripping jaw disposed within said encircling member and centrally pivoted upon a fixed pivot on said handle, a rotatable pin journaled in said handle transverse to the plane of movement of said encircling member, and means connecting said pin to said pipe encircling member to transmit rotation of said pin to said member to rock the latter in either direction of movement.

FRANK W. LIVERMONT. 

